Gab body



May 13, 1924. 493,608

, B. H. CROSBY CAR BODY Filed Feb. 18 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 13 1924. v 1 ,4asieo8 B. H. CROSBY CAR BODY Filed Feb. 18 1821 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 13, 192%.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN H. CROSBY, Oli RAHi/VAY. NEXV JERSEY.

CAR BODY.

Application fiIed February 18, 1821. Serial No. 446,098.

To oZZ whom it may concern:

it known that I, BENJAMIN H. Cnosnr, a citizen of the United States, and resident of ltahway, in the county Union and Fitaie oi New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Car Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

li'iy invention relates to improvements in coal or other cars particularly those of the dinnping type which provided with hotping devices. Such cars are adaptcd to be dumped while on a trestle. When, however, it is desired to unload such a car at "'rade where there is no trestle or where 'i is not possible or convenient to construct a trestle, the operation 013 the bottom dumpdevices can only result in piling the contents of the car, or part of same, upon the tracks.

My invention is intended to overcome this difficulty and to expedite the unloading of 21 our in such cases. In present practice, when a car is to be unloaded at a point where there is no trestle, the coal or other contents of the car is unloaded by shovolling the contents by hand over the sides of the car, which is a slow and laborious process. in accordance with one form of my invention, cars are provided with openings in the sides thereof, these side openings being closed by doors which may preferably be let down to form side chutes, through which the greater part of the contents of the car will run. These chutes are made sufficiently long to enable the material carried thereby to fall clear of the tracks and form piles at either side thereof. out of the way.

While one object of my invention. is to provide improved devices of the character referred to in cars of the bottom dumping type certain of my improvements will. be found useful in cars of many other types including motor trucks.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may he had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating one embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a coal car embodying a preferred form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of the car illustrated in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, illustrating one of the side door members of the car; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale, the door being in closed position; Fig. 4 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, the door member being shown in open position to act as a chute. and Fig. :3 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, I have illusrated. a car having side members such as hat shown 1, which may be formed of steel or other material according to the usual practice. The side members 1, may be provided with vertical reinforcing members in the form oi angle irons 2 secured to the outer surfaces of side members 1. Longitudinal frame members 8 are secured to the inner surfaces of the side members 1, the construction shown being in accordance with the usual practice. A pair of downwardly extending portions, 4, t, are illustrated beneath the car, these being the usual hopper portions of the car from which the contents of the car may be unloaded by the usual bottom (lumping devices which I have not thought it necessary to illustrate.

My improved construction may be used in connection with any of the standard bottom dumping steel cars now in use, it not being necessary to change the frame work, site or general design of such cars when my invention is to be applied thereto.

The vertical side members 1, of the car, are provided with one or more openings 5, which may extend vertically upwards from points located short distances above the longitudinal frame members 3 oi the car. Preferably each car is provided with a pair of such openings in each side member thereof. these openings usually being provided in alignment with the hopper portions 4 of the car.

Each opening 5 is provided with a door member 6. which is adapted to fill the opening when it is in closed position andto serve as a dumping chute when it is in open position. Each opening 5 and, its

door 6 are preferably located between a pair of adjacent reinforcing members 2 of the side member of the car. the opening preferably extending the full width of the space between the adiacent reinforcing members 2 so that the latter will serve as side door frame members of sufficient rigidity. Additional reinforcing members may be added if desired. Each door member 6 is hingedly connected at the bottom to the portion 7 of the side member 1 constituting the door sill. The door sill portion 7 extends upwardly a short distance above a longitudinal frame member 3 of the car and is stiffened by its connection therewith. Preferably each door is hinged to the sill portion 7 of the car by a pair of comparatively large strap hinges 8 as shown.

Each door member 6 is adapted to serve as a chute, as stated above, and preferably has a pair of inwardly directed side flanges 9 which extend into the car when the door is closed. These door chute members may each be made of one piece of pressed steel with. the side flanges 9 integral therewith, which not only keep the coal or other material on the chute but also strengthen or stiffen the chute and protect the holding chains 11 when the chute door is closed. The side flanges 9 may, of course. be formed of separate pieces riveted or otherwise secured to the door face to form a chute, or the door chute member may be formed of a piece of sufficiently wide channel iron.

The side flanges 9 extend downwardly a short distance beyond the main body portion of the door 6. the side flanges being cut out slightly at their forward lower edges as shown at 10 in Fig. 3, so as to enable the same to clear the door sill member 7 when the door is in closed position. hen the door member is open to act as a chute, the side flanges will therefore extend slightly into the interior of the car to guide the coal or other contents of the car on to the chute.

Each door chute member is supported in its open position at an angle greater than 90 from its closed position, by suitable flexible means such as the chains 11 of which two are preferably used for each door member. These chains are each seured at one end to the upper portion of a door chute member 6 adjacent to a side edge thereof. the upper or other end of each chain being secured to the inner face of the side member 1 of the car bodv above an opening 5 therein. Therefore, when the door members 6 are closed, the chains will hann downwardly in loops adjacent the inner surfaces of the side flanges 9 of the door members and when the door members are swung outwardly to serve as chutes. the chains will extend out through the openings to support the members 6 in downwardly and outwardly sloping positions.

Preferably the members 6 are provided with reinforcing strips 12 extending across the outer surfaces of the same adjacent their upper ends, and the lower ends of chains 11 may be secured to the faces of the meinhers 6 by bolts or rivets or other suitable securing devices 13 extending through strips 12. Chains 11 are preferably secured to the side member 1 of the car by providing; a reinforcing rod 14 mounted in position above. each opening; 5 and secured to the unlocking position.

side member 1. by any suitable securing means such as indicated at 15. The end links of the chains 11, with this form of construction, will encircle the rod 14.

Suitable devices are provided for locking or holding the door members 6 in their closed vertical positions. Preferably reinforcing strips 16 are secured to side memher 1 to extend above the openings 5, the strips 16 having guides or slide wa s 17 secured thereto to extend upwardly from the openings. Vertical bolts 18 are slidably mounted in guides 17, the lower ends of these bolts being adapted to overlap the upper edges of the members 6 when the latter are in closed vertical position to lock the same in vertical position.

Bolts 18 are preferably operated by means of crank shafts 19, one of which is rotatively mounted in position. above each of the openings Each crank shaft 19 is rotatively mounted in position by extending the same through openings in the reinforcing flanges 2 on each side of the open ing, each crank shaft having one of its ends bent at right angles to the main body portion thereof, to form a crank lever 20 on the outer side of one of the reinforcing flanges 2. Crank shaft 19 is provided with a pair of cranks 21, 21, for operating the bolts 18, the upper end portion of each bolt being provided with an opening, through which the crank 21 extends. 7'

The crank lever 20 is preferably provided at its end with a weight 22, which is sufficiently heavy to normally cause the crank lever to hang vertically alongside the adjacent fiange, 2. When therefore the door member 6 is closed with bolts 18 extending downwardly into contact with the outer surface of the same adjacent its upper edge. the Weight 22 of the crank shaft 19 provided above the door referred to will normally hold the bolts in their operative lower position. lVhen it is desired to unload the car through the side openings 5, the weights will be thrown upwardly so as to allow each inen'iber 6 to fall into the position indicated in Fig. 4, where it acts as a chute. The side chutes will. of course, not have to be used when the car is upon a trestle where the ordinary bottom dumping devices may be used.

It is desirable to lock or hold the level arms 20 in their normal vertical positions. when the car is in use for transporting); coal or other material, because of the fact that the car may he turned bottom upwards while being handled by a steam or electric dumping device, in which case, of course, the lever arms 20 would tend to swing into Any suitable means may be used to lock arms 20 in their normal vertical positions when desired. I have illustrated a suitable form of device consisting of a strap 23 which is hinged as shown at 24 to one of the side reinforcing members ibis strap is provided with a curved portion 25 adapted to encircle the weight when the strap is swung into a position parallel to the side member 1 of the car as shown in l i 2. When strap is so swung, staple 26 on the side member of the car will extend through an opening in strap 23, strap 23 being held in this position, for ere ample, by a. pin 27, split ring or otlw device extending through the staple 26 so that we ht 22 will be held in vertical position ag inst the side of the car.

lit should be understood that my invention is not limited strictly to the details of construction described, but as broad is indicated by the following claims.

l i hat I claim is l. A car body having a discharge open ing in the side th roof, :1 door chute membc-r adapted to close said opening, hinged at its bottom to said body, and having in wardly directed side flanges, and flexible means secured to said body adjacent the upper end of said opening and to the upper end of said member to support the latter when it is swung outwardly to serve as a chute, said chute member being sufliciently long to cause the material carried thereby, when the same serves as a chute, to fall clear of the tracks on whi ch the car runs.

A. car body having vertical reinforcing flanges on its sides and a discharge opening between two of said flanges, a door chute member adapted to close said open ing, hinged at its bottom to said body and ,g inwardly directed side flanges, flexible means secured to said body adjacent the upper end of said opening and to the upper end of said ineinber to support the latter when it is swung outwardly to serve as a chute, and means coasting with said vertical flanges and adapted to coact with the upper end oi? said member for locking the latter in closed position.

A car body having vertical outwardly directed reinforcing flanges on its sides and a discharge opening between two of said flanges, a door chute member adapted to close said opening, hinged at its bottom to said body and having inwardly dir cted side flanges arranged to extend inside the car body when the member is swung outwardly to serve as a chute, flexible means secured to said body adjacent the upper end of said opening and to the upper end of said member to support the latter when it is svung outwardly to serve as a chute, a cranir shaft rotatably mounted in said vertical flanges above said opening, a verti on said body above said opening,

Jolt operatively connected to said and crank shaft and extending through said guide, to lock said member in closed position.

car body having vertical reinforo ing flanges on its sides and a discharge opening between two of said flanges, a door chute member adapted to close said opening, hinged at its bottom to said body and having inwardly directed side flanges, flexible means secured to said body adjacent the upper end of said opening and to the up per end of said member to support the latter when it is swung outwardly to serve as a chute, a crank shaft rotatably mounted in said vertical flanges above said opening. a vertical. guide on said body above said opening, a bolt operatively connected to said cranlz shaft and extending through said guide, to lock said member in closed position, said cranl: shaft having lever arm on the outer side of one of said flanges, and a weight on said lever arm, adapted to hold said bolt in lowered operative position.

5. A car body having a discharge openng in the side thereof, a door chute mem ber adapted to close said opening, hinged at its bottom to said body and having inwardly directed side flanges, and a pair of supporting chains, secured to the inner face of said member adjacent its upper end and to the inner surface of said body above said opening, adapted to extend out through said opening to support said member when it is swung outwardly to serve as a chute, said member being sutticiently long to cause the material carried thereby to fall clear of the tracks on which the car runs.

6. A car body having a pair of separated downwardly extending bottom hopper portions, adapted for bottom dumping and having discharge openings in the sides thereof above said downwardly extending portions said body having vertical reinforcing flanges on its sides, with said openings positioned between said flanges so that the lat ter will serve as doorway frames therefor, door chute members adapted to close said openings and hinged at their bottoms to said body, longitudinal frame members adjaccnt the lower edges of said openings, einforcing members above said openings, flexible means secured to said reinforcing members and to the upper ends of said door chute members to support the latter when they are swung outwardly to serve as chutes.

7. A car body having vertical outwardly directed reinforcing flanges on its sides and a discharge opening between two of said flanges, a door chute member adapted to close said opening, hinged at its bottom to said body and having inwardly directed side flanges, flexible means secured to said body adjacent the upper end of said open ing and to the upper end of said member to support the latter when it is swung outwardly to serve as a chute, a crank shaft rotatably mounted in said vertical flanges above said opening vertical guides on said body above said opening, bolts operatively connected to said crank shaft and extending through said guides to lock said member in closed position, said crank shaft having a lever arm on the outer side or one or said flanges, and means for securing said lever arm in vertical position to said flange.

A. car bod having vertical sides and a discharge opening in each side thereof, a door chute member adapted to'close each opening, said door inen'ibers being hinged at their bottom edges to the car body and having flanges extending inwardly into the interior of the ca body when the doors are closed and means for sruaportingr said doors in open position at an angle greater than 90 from their clocrd position, to serve as chutes for the unloading of the car, said flanges being longer than the main body portions of the door members to extend inside the car body when the door men1- hers are in open. position, said flanges being cut out at their torward lower edges to clea r the door sills when the door members are in closed position.

9. A car body having a discharge opening, a door chute member adapted to close said opening, hinged at its bottom to said body, a crank shaft, a vertical guide on said body above said opening, a bolt operatively connected to said crank shaft and extending through said guide, to loci; said member in Closed position, said crank sliatt having a lever arm on the outer side of one of said flanges and a weight on said lever arm, adapted. to hold said bolt in lowered operative position and means for securing said arm in vertical position to the car body.

Signed at Railway, in the county of Union and State of New Jerse this 14th day of February, A. I). 1921.

BlLNJAlHN H. CROSBY. 

